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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Fire officials work in the area where a massive fire burned a large portion of the boardwalk in Seaside Park, New Jersey, on Friday, September 13. CNN affiliate KYW reported that the fire started Thursday at the Kohr Brothers frozen custard shop on the FunTown Amusement Pier. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said 35 engine companies, 15 ladders and 400 firefighters battled the fire. The area is still rebuilding from damage caused by Superstorm Sandy.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie explores the fire scene in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, on September 13. "I feel like I want to throw up," Christie said when he arrived at the damaged scene.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – A woman watches as people gather on the Seaside Park boardwalk to look at the destruction after the massive fire on September 13.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Police officers put up crime tape to keep people away from the destroyed remains of businesses along the boardwalk on September 13.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Firefighters walk through the destroyed businesses on the boardwalk on September 13.

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – A firefighter pulls a fire hose on September 13. About 100 firefighters were still handling hot spots Friday and mopping up, said Ocean County Fire Administrator Brian Gabriel.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Daniel Shauger, manager of the heavily damaged Funtown Arcade, is interviewed on September 13. The arcade was reopened in June after Superstorm Sandy damaged the game machines and equipment.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – A firefighter sprays water on a hot spot on September 13.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Two women take in the scene at a distance as smoke rises from the boardwalk on September 13.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Firefighters at the scene of the fire in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, on September 13.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Christie is hugged by Michael Cisneros, 14, during a visit to the area hit by the massive fire on the boardwalk on Thursday, September 12.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Firefighters battle a blaze in a building on the boardwalk on September 12.

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Photos:Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk

Fire ravages Jersey boardwalk – Firefighters battle a blaze in a building on the boardwalk in Seaside Park, New Jersey, on September 12.

Story highlights

More than 400 firefighters battling blaze on famous boardwalk, he says

Dozens of businesses have been damaged, governor says

Part of the boardwalk reopened this summer after the old was destroyed in Superstorm Sandy

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called a fire raging through boardwalk buildings Thursday an "unthinkable situation" as firefighters continued to fight the high flames and black smoke in Seaside Park, New Jersey.

Christie said 35 engine companies, 15 ladders and 400 firefighters remained on the scene Thursday evening.

So far, dozens of businesses have been burned and damaged over four blocks. Some embers hit a condominium, but it was quickly put out, Christie said.

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A cause has not been determined. The damage is almost entirely on the boardwalk, Christie said.

Fire personnel dug a 20-foot trench on Lincoln Avenue; "that's where firefighters are making their stand right now," Christie said. Brisk winds are spreading the fire, Christie said.

"The destruction south of Lincoln Avenue, it's complete," Christie said Thursday.

"I said to my staff, I feel like I want to throw up, and that's me. After all the effort and time and resources that we've put in to help the folks in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights rebuild. To see this going on, as I said at the top, is just unthinkable."

The famous boardwalk of Seaside Heights was thrown into the public eye shortly after Superstorm Sandy tore its famous Jet Star roller coaster into the water. The coaster was removed from the ocean in May, shortly before the boardwalk reopened for business.

The FunTown Pier was destroyed by Sandy and partially reopened this summer.

Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers told CNN in May that rebuilding the boardwalk cost $8 million. The total cost for Sandy repairs in Seaside Heights was $16 million.

Christie explained that fire troops were experiencing water supply challenges because of damage to the system post Sandy, and that teams were drawing lines from Barnegat Bay.

CNN affiliate KYW reported that the fire started at Kohr Brothers frozen custard shop on the FunTown Amusement Pier around 2:15 p.m. ET. The fire escalated to six alarms shortly before 4 p.m. ET, according to the same affiliate.

Jersey Central Power and Light spokesman Ron Morano said their crews are in the area and that he is not aware of any outages due to the fire.